New Delhi: The just concluded India International Trade Fair (IITF) saw a massive sale of Khadi products with a gross turnover of Rs 2.88 crore, thanks to the big government push for the local products. In the first trade fair organized in the post-Covid scenario, the total sale of Khadi products stood at Rs 2,88,14,553, which is a quantum jump of 122 per cent from the sale of Rs 1.30 crore in the year 2019.

KVIC, this year, set up 48 stalls from 20 states as compared to 30 stalls from 12 states in 2019. KVIC accorded high priority to women artisans giving 18 (36 per cent) of the total stalls to women, which was confined to just 20 per cent women’s participation in 2019. Also, huge public turnout at the Khadi India Pavilion pushed the highest single day sale up to Rs 33.03 lakh as which was just Rs 21.31 lakh in 2019.

Chairman, KVIC, Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed this growth to the Khadi’s ever-increasing popularity among the masses and people’s support to the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative. “A large section of people, particularly the youths, have increasingly become vocal for our local products. Khadi’s massive sales figure is a testimony to this. Khadi is the biggest symbol of ‘Swadeshi’ and the Prime Minister’s appeal has added to the soaring spirit of Khadi lovers,” Saxena said.

A selfie point with Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, live demonstration of Pashmina spinning, pottery making, handmade paper making, Agarbatti making, handmade paper footwear making, innovative Khadi Prakritik Paint made of cow dung, etc. became the centre of attraction at the Khadi India Pavilion.

A range of premium Khadi fabric like Muslin of West Bengal, Pashmina from Jammu and Kashmir, Patola silk of Gujarat, Banarasi Silk, Bhagalpuri Silk, Phulkari art of Punjab, Kalamkari of Andhra Pradesh and several other varieties of cotton, silk and wool fabric too recorded massive sales at the trade fair. /BI/